Spring comes early this year, and so will the cherry blossoms! The peak bloom projection for the cherry blossoms on the National Mall has moved up to March 21-24, according to the National Park Service.
Peak bloom is defined as the day when 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open, according to the NPS. The length of the blooming period varies because blooming depends on the right weather conditions. Thus, forecasting peak bloom is difficult to do more than 10 days in advance.
Cherry Trees in the District
Cherry trees in DC, color-coded by type of tree and sized according to the tree's diameter. Click on the magnifying glass at the bottom of the map to search for your address.
Source: D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) Street Spatial Database (SSD)
Credit: Anisa Holmes / NBC Washington
The original forecast predicted peak bloom around March 27-30, but NPS explained in a tweet that temperatures over the last week have been warmer than expected and they expect this trend to continue.
“In the weeks since we made that initial announcement, we’ve had several days 10 degrees or higher than temperatures forecast. We’re looking at a continued warming trend for the next couple of weeks and that’s causing us to reassess and re-project,” said NPS Chief of Communications Mike Litterst.
NPS horticulturists will continue to monitor the buds’ development as the end of March approaches.
Cherry Tree Varieties, by Bloom
Source: Getty Images, Flicker (1, 2)
Credit: Anisa Holmes / NBC Washington
